Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has spoken out on his X handle, addressing what he described as pervasive ‘envy’ among Nigeria’s political class. This follows allegations of corruption and misappropriation of ₦432 billion during his tenure as governor.
The Kaduna State House of Assembly claimed that El-Rufai’s eight-year administration left the state with substantial debt, prompting an ad hoc committee to investigate all financial dealings, loans, and contracts. The committee’s report, submitted in June, asserted that many loans were misappropriated, and due process was often ignored.
The Assembly recommended prosecuting El-Rufai and some members of his cabinet for alleged abuse of office, diversion of public funds, and money laundering. However, El-Rufai’s spokesman, Muyiwa Adekeye, dismissed the claims as a “politically motivated hatchet job” and asserted that the former governor served with integrity.
In a reflective post on Saturday, El-Rufai described envy as an “incurable disease” among political actors in Nigeria, lamenting that it leads to destructive behaviors such as malicious prosecution and even unlawful imprisonment. He expressed doubt that this issue could be resolved within the current political framework.
El-Rufai has since filed a fundamental rights suit at the Federal High Court in Kaduna against the state House of Assembly.
